Lawn spreaders are used to provide a controlled distribution of materials such as granular fertilizers onto a lawn surface. Broadcast spreaders include a hopper with a variable flow aperture that is controllable to regulate the amount of materials allowed to drop from the hopper through the aperture and onto an impeller. The impeller rotates with the movement of the spreader and distributes the material outwardly from the impeller.
Control mechanisms are usually provided on a broadcast spreader, to adjust the variable flow aperture by adjusting the length of a control cable. Such mechanisms are difficult to assemble and service because they require disassembly at one or more points for service and also require the assembler or maintainer to get the cable routing just right through the mechanism, so that the length adjustment mechanism will continue to work properly. Other control mechanisms may not allow for disassembly and therefore are not maintainable. Further, broadcast spreader deflector mechanisms that are cable controlled are also difficult to maintain for similar reasons.
Therefore a need exists for a simplified control mechanism for spreader flow control and also for deflectors, such that ease of use, assembly and maintenance is better facilitated.